Hello all,
If you get Rapido's newsletters, you probably already know this, but for the benefit of anyone who might be interested and unaware, Rapido is taking "conditional" pre-orders for a new run of their "Panorama" line of smoothside passenger cars.? "Conditional" means that if they get enough pre-orders by July 17, they will produce 8 car sets, loosely based on various CN and Via trains, with the 1954 green-black scheme, 1960s white with "wet noodle" lettering, and VIA schemes represented.
https://rapidotrains.com/n-scale/complete-train-78/rapido-ocean.html
Most of the cars (coach, baggage, both sleepers) are based on cars from the 1954 orders for new equipment. The cafe-bar-lounge and Daynighter were rebuilt in the 1960s from some of the coaches. The club-galley car was originally built in the early 50s, but is modeled as it appeared after a rebuild in 1971.? So, if modeling the Inter-City in 1954 scheme, the coaches and baggage are accurate to the time frame, the other cars are not, although they do resemble other cars that might appear in the consist.
I have several examples of cars from the first run Rapido did 10-12 years ago. They are very nicely detailed. Given the amount of detail on the undersides, generous curves are recommended to avoid truck clearance issues.
Also of note are kits for SP "economy" baggage cars from Wheels of Time. The prototypes were built in 1959. The cars, at 66' over end sills were a little shorter than most streamlined baggage cars. Rock Island had some similar cars, and some also served on Amtrak trains. The webpage says that pre-orders were supposed to close a couple months ago, but I note the pre-order button is still there. I would recommend contacting Wheels of Time on whether they are still taking orders and/or have some in stock.
All the best,
Tom D.
John Perkowski